System of assembling and locking printing plates



F. R. WHITE Dec. 8, 1931.

SYSTEM OF ASSEMBLING AND LOCKING PRINTING PLATES Filed Nov. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. R. WHITE Dec. 8, 1931.

SYSTEM OF ASSEMBLING AND LOCKING PRINTING PLATES Fired Nov. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1931 ime S ATES P A sN r OFFICE FRANK 1%. WHITE, or DALLAS, EXAS, .nssrenoa cir- ONE-HALF To B. c. BAKER, or r Y r DALLAS, TExAs SYSTEM or ASSEMIYBLLINGI AND tooxmer PRINTING PLATES @Application filedNovember 21, 1929. Serial No. 402E300.

and making up forms, whereby type may be combined. with plates in an economical and secure manner and various sizes and shapes readily combined, thus making for flexibility.

A still further object of the invention is to provide locking means for holding plates on adjacent blocks and also for holding-adjacent blocks against upward displacement.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described toa. gether with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which an example of the in- V. vention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary isometrical view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing several blocks and plates assembled and locked together. 7

Figure 2 is an isometrical view of one of the blocks,

Figure 3 is an isometrical view of a block, plate and type assembly, 7

Figures 4 and 5 are details of locking lugs provided with ruling faces,

Figure 6 is an isometrical view of another block, type and plate combination,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary isometrical view, partly in section and partly in elevation,

. showing plate and block locking means,

Fig. 8 is a perspective of one of the locking lugs without a ruling face, and, 1

Figures 9 and 10 are sectional" details of the same.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a block having a flat upper face 11 and which in its sides and ends.

upward displacement.

maybe of any suitable shape. This block H may be made. of wood, metal, or other suit able material, and has an angular groove 12 Upon the block is placed the printing plate 13, such as an electrotype half-tone or other etching. The

plate and block are made of standard size so that when assembled the printing face of the plate will be type high.

It is common practice to secure the plate 18 to the block by tacks and other temporary fastenings and this is objectionable because the block can only be used for one plate and considerable time is required tomount the plates and disconnect them from the blocks.

In carryingout the invention I provide lugs 14 which may vary inshape and size. Each lug 141s provided with a transverse rib 15 ats'uch a height as to engage in the groove 12 of the block 10', thus holding the lug against The plate 13 is provided with bevelled edges'16'flush with the sides and ends of the block lO'and each'lug 14 has an undercut or bevelled lip 17 at its upper end so as to overhang and rest upon the bevelled edge 16, as

curely fasten the plate on theblock/ In' Figure 1 several combinations are i shown. For instance, at A the lug i'smade thick enough to space the elementsapart and yet hold theplate in place, but is not type high; while at B two lugs l4 areJeinployed and when placed back to back have the same thickness as the lug A, but serve to fasten adjacent plates and adjacent blocks. At C in Figure 1 the lug 14' is provided witha ruling face 18which is type high, and the lug has the same thickness as at A. i

is shown in Figure 1. It'will be seen that, when the lugs are held in place they will se- Another combination is shown in Figure I 1 at D where'lugs-with ruling faces18 are placed back to back and staggeredso that ordinary printing rules E may be placed between adjacent' plates and alined with the ends of the staggered lugs.

At F'the lug 14 is'provided with a doubleruling face 19, which is shown in detail in Figure 5. It. is

to be understood that where the lugsare not type high the gaps therebetween may be filled ,4 will prevent relative vertical displacement.

in with ordinary printing slugs and these have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

It will be apparent that this system per- .mits the use of plates of all sizes and shapes,

thus making for adjustability, flexibility and 1 economy in assembling. The system not only applies to plates with continuous edges, but

plates with irregular edges, mortisesor r ecesses.

The plate 13 may be cast with the bevelled edge 16 or aplate" which has fbeen previously cast may be provided with this bevelled edge. L V In Figure 3 I have shown an assembly comprising a pair of triangularblocks10,=

each having the grooves 12 on three sides. In

a this assembly the plates 13 are shaped to the contour: of their respective blocks and type Cor-a type slug, isset between the blocks.

The style of lugs 14 are used whichare employed at'A in Figure 1, but of course any of the other styles of lugs may be used.

In Figure 6 a. mortised block 110 is used and the plate takes the form of a cut out'border 13 having bevelled edges16 and held by suitable lugs 14:. lV-ithin the block and border plate a small plate 113 is held in place by suitablelugs14 on the block, not shown but constructed in accordance with those illustrated. This gives another illustration .of what might be done with this system.

In some instances it may be desirable to fasten adjacent blocks against relative verhaving one or more bevelled edges contiguone to the grooved Walls of the block, and

one or more exterior upright lugs having transverse ribs engaging in the grooves of the block and also provided with overhanging lipsengaging the bevelled edges of the plate.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, with a printing rule integral with the upper 'end of one or more ofthe lugs.

The system of mounting printing plates which consists in providing adjacent blocks with longitudinal grooves in their adjacent upright walls, disposing printing plates on top of the blocks and inserting spacers between s'aid blocks having projections extending into the adjacent grooves of said blocks and. also having projections at their upper ends overhanging the adjacent edges of the plates, whereby said plates are spaced apart and are'locked on their blocks.

6. The system defined in claim 5, with locking .lugs'detachably applied to the non-adjacent upright walls of the block for locking the plates thereon.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

, FRANK R. WHITE.

tical displacement and means for doing this is illustrated in Figures 7, 9 and 10. In Figure .7,an.irregu1ar-plate13 is shown and A and C styles oflugs are employed For unit- 'ing two blocks 10a and 10?), a key 21 is employed, as is shown. in Figures 7 and 10. This key is rectangular with a notch so as to -fit inthe groove 12 of one block and engage :in the corner'of the groove of the-other block.

A T-shaped key 22, shown'in Figures 7 and Y -9, may be used in some instances and when inserted in the grooves 12 of adjacent blocks Various changes in the size and shape of rightexteriorwalls, and securing a printing plate upon said base block by, means of exterior lugshaving transverse projections engaging in the groov'e of the block and overhanging the plate on top of the block.

2 The system defined in claim 1, and including a printing rule formed on the upper end of the lugs.

3; In a printing system, a base block having longitudinal grooves in one or more of its upright exterior walls, a printing plate mounted. on the topsurface of the block and 

